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Figurative Devices In The Lanyard By Billy Collins

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In Billy Collins poem “The Lanyard,” it's about the poet mother did so much for him. Like provide education and give him meals every day, and the poet feels like he gave him a simple Lanyard. Billy Collins uses figurative devices, shifts and tone to develop the theme. One figurative device the author uses is hyperbole, Collins writes “Here are thousands of meals” (27). This creates a picture to the reader of how much his mother does for him the poet by using hyperbole. Also Collins uses metaphor, Collin writes,”and here is clothing and a good education.”(28). This also shows the reader how much the mother does for him. By using hyperbole and metaphor the author is trying to show the theme, that you can never repay your mother, but it's just …show more content…

The poem is more loving. I see this because in the poem Collin writes, “She gave me life and milk from her breasts” (19). This shows how much the poet is appreciate of his mother, and this gets the tone that this poem is loving to his mother. Also Collin writes “ and then led me out into the airy light/ and taught me to walk and swim,/ and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard”(24-26). This shows how the poet realizes how much his mother does for him, and this also reveals the theme that you can't repay your mother, but it's the thought that counts. Also the poet uses shift to develop the theme by having the first part explain about what a Lanyard is and how he discovered a Lanyard. Collin writes, “ When I found myself in the L section of the dictionary/ where my eyes fell upon the word lanyard” (5-6). This shows how the poet is just discovering what a lanyard is. Also Colin writes, “learning how to braid long thin plastic strips into a lanyard”(11). This explains what a lanyard is. Then shifts to him comparing to what his mother does for him and how he gave him a Lanyard. I see this when Collin writes,”She gave me life and milf from her breasts,/ and i gave her a lanyard.” This now compares what his mother did for the poet and that the poet only gave his mom a lanyard. Having these shifts Collins demonstrates the theme of the poem.
Billy Collins use figurative devices, shifts, and tone to develop the theme

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